The Exposure (The Submissive 9)

didn’t look fresh, but even if they were dry, there was no telling what else was on that thing. “Some kid could probably do a science experiment on what’s growing on it.”

The amused expression left the guy’s face, quickly replaced by an icy stare that chilled her. “You little bitch. You think you’re better than me, don’t you?”

“No, I just think I’m cleaner.” She tilted her head. “Scratch that. I know I’m cleaner.”

He sat there smiling and it was, hands down, the creepiest thing she’d ever experienced. She sighed deeply and then regretted it as the smell of unwashed male assaulted her nose. And still he watched her. That was enough. She had to get out. It didn’t matter that she would have to come back later. Anything was better than staying in the nasty apartment with that creepy guy.

“I’m going to go.” She took another step toward the door. “Tell Jake I came by and I’ll call him later.” And she’d make damn sure the next time she came by that creepy guy wouldn’t be here.

“Are you going to see DeVaan?”

Her hand stopped halfway to the doorknob and the uneasy feeling she had grew stronger.

“So funny,” he said. “You see, I got this e-mail from someone I’d been corresponding with and she told me to fuck off. I’ve been spending the last few days trying to decide what I was going to do about it. How I was going to punish her. And now I don’t have to. Because she simply walked right into my hands.”

She froze, trying to process his words. They didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. She spun around, facing the man who had to be The Taskmaster. “Who are you?”

He stood up and she moved closer to the door, wanting to leave, but in the same breath, wanting to know why and now, even more, who.

“You wouldn’t know me. You never actually saw me that night. You were too busy with V.”

When he stood up, he looked much bigger than he had sitting down. And he stunk; it was worse as he drew closer.

“I wanted a piece of the brunette who came with you, but that Parks man messed it all up and then your precious DeVaan threw me out of the club. My reputation is ruined and I’m not welcome anywhere.”

She gaped at him. This was the man who almost assaulted Abby? And then she knew where she’d seen him. At the club she Topped at. That night with Master C.

“So,” he continued. “I decided to ruin him by selling his celebrity photographs to the highest bidder. And who better to aid in his distraction than the woman he never got over? And as a bonus, it also happened to be the woman who brought the brunette in the first place. You were never my original target, but once I discovered who you were, I decided your life should be ruined as well. It was easy, you know. Just followed you both for a while, made friends with Jake, and got the goods on you.”

Puzzle pieces started to fall into place and Meagan took a step backward. “Jake?”

He gave a short laugh. “I couldn’t believe you thought it was Jake. I was over here when you called. He didn’t know what the hell you were talking about. Of course, he doesn’t have the brainpower to do anything other than get high.”

“What did you do to Jake?”

He waved his hand. “He’s fine. Or I guess he is. Sleeping off his last hit. The question you should be asking is, what am I going to do to you?”

Heart pounding, she turned and headed for the door, but he was surprisingly quick and beat her there. In one smooth move, he had his arms around her and pushed her against the wall. “Did you seriously think I’d let you go that easily?”

She struggled, but he was too strong. He was pressed against her and she closed her eyes in disgust. “Let go.”

“No way. I finally have you here and you’re going to work off what you owe me since you didn’t get that picture for me.” His lips grazed her neck and she shivered. “A whore like you shouldn’t have a problem with it.”

“Jake!” she yelled. “Jake! Wake up!”

He slapped her. “Stop that. It won’t work anyway. He’ll be out for hours.”

“Help!”

He slapped her again. “Shut up.”

She jerked her shoulders, struggling to get away, trying to kick him. It was useless. He pushed her harder against the door, banging her head into it, and she saw stars. From somewhere he took a dirty rag and tried to shove it in her mouth. She spat at him, earning another slap in the face.

A sharp rap sounded on the door. They both shouted at the same time.

“Help!”

“Go away.”

There was a silence, and then came the sweetest sound she’d ever heard.

“Meagan?”

“Luke!” she called, seconds before The Taskmaster punched her in the stomach and she dropped to the floor. She curled into a ball and squeezed her eyes tightly, trying without success to make the pain go away. It hurt to breathe. He hadn’t broken a rib, had he?

The deep breath she attempted came out as a wheeze and she braced herself for another blow. But what followed was a resounding crash as the door at her side gave way and splintered beside her.

“Are you fucking out of your mind?” The Taskmaster asked from somewhere above her.

“Where’s . . . Why is she on the floor?” Luke sounded pissed. “Did you hit her?”

There was a thud as something—or someone—hit the wall, followed by a groan.

“Fucking touch her again and I’ll rip you apart from limb to limb,” Luke said.

Meagan rolled over to see what was happening. Luke held her blackmailer with one hand around his throat while he punched something into his phone with the thumb of the other.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” he asked when he saw her watching.

“I’ll live.”

“I’m calling the police. Is this your brother?”

She shook her head. Her lungs still ached, but she managed to reply, “No, his friend.”

“He’s the one? Not your brother?”

“Right. You actually kicked him out of your club. Long story, but he’s the guy who attacked Abby.”

Luke slammed the guy into the wall. “Is that true, fucker?”

Jake. She sucked in a breath. Jake was passed out in his bedroom. She should go check on him. She pulled her knees under her body and sat up.

“Where are you going?” Luke asked.

“Got. To. Check. On. Jake,” she said, punctuating each word as she slowly stood.

She had to find Jake and make sure he was okay. There was no telling what he’d taken. It wasn’t until she was halfway down the hall that it hit her.

What was Luke doing here?

She almost turned around to go back to the living room to ask, but Jake’s room was closer. And, if she was honest with herself, until he told her differently, she could pretend Luke had forgiven her.

She found Jake snoring in his bed. Ugh. He smelled. No telling when his last bath was. At least his room was relatively clean. And by that she meant there weren’t any fast-food wrappers scattered on the floor.

“Jake.” She made it to the edge of his bed and shook him. “Wake up.”

He mumbled something and rolled over.

“Now. The police are on the way.”

One eye cracked open. “What?”

She breathed a sigh of relief that he was awake and coherent. “The police. They’ll be here any second. Your asshat friend has been blackmailing me.”

He didn’t move.